How to Sketch a Room Design

Save the cost of a professional by doing your own room design drawings.

Many design architects and interior designers make sketches of room designs before drawing detailed plans for a project. Typically, room design sketches include a bird's-eye view of the floor plan, along with elevation sketches of walls where cabinets or built-in shelving may install. As the sketches evolve, you can include window treatments, lighting fixtures and wall hangings. Design sketches are ultimately transferred onto graph paper where dimensions and measurements allow you to calculate the various materials for a project.

Floor Plan Sketch

1

Make a sketch of the room from a bird's-eye view on drawing paper. Start by drawing a square or rectangle that represents the walls. Erase small sections of a wall's line where doors, windows and walk-through openings exist or are planned.

2

Draw an outline of a countertop on existing cabinets or for new cabinets at the desired location. For a kitchen, a countertop may be along a wall that has a window and the sink is in line with the window. Sinks in kitchens and bathrooms are represented by a square or oval on the countertop.

3

Develop the floor plan sketch to include furnishings, such as a sofa, end tables and floor lamps, as if seen from above. For kitchens, include shapes that represent the tops of appliances, such as a refrigerator and range top. For a bathroom, draw shapes that represent a toilet, a shower stall, tub or tub-shower combination.

4

Write the name of each item in the room next to the item. Include the type of floor covering, such as carpet, hardwood or tile. Draw small circles where you want overhead light fixtures or recessed lights at the ceiling.

Elevation Sketches

1

Start at one wall. Draw a square or rectangle that represents the shape of the wall as if looking at it from across the room. Include any doors, windows and a sliding door at the approximate location, such as near one end of the wall or near the center.

2

Develop the elevation sketch to include the outline of a built-in unit, such as shelving or an entertainment center. Draw horizontal lines for shelves at the approximate spacing. Cabinet doors can be sketched in detail or represented by outlines with crisscrossed lines from corner to corner. Include wall hangings, mirrors and wall-mount light fixtures.

3

Make elevation sketches that show the design for the remaining walls in the room. For a kitchen, draw the desired configuration of lower and upper cabinets showing the faces of drawers and doors. Include tall cabinets for a pantry or built-in oven. Show other appliances, such as a refrigerator, microwave and range hood.

4

Draw elevation sketches for walls in a bathroom showing vanity cabinets, mirrors and vanity lights. Include an elevation showing a tub, shower or tub-shower unit and glass doors. Include any recessed lights.

5

Note the color of paint for the walls and ceilings on each sketch. Note tones for stain on cabinets and woodwork, such as wainscot paneling and hardwood doors, trim and baseboards.

Things You Will Need

Drawing paper

Pencil

Eraser

Tip

Research floorplan and elevation sketches online or visit a design architect or interior designer.

Learn abbreviations that are used for certain items, such as "RL" for recessed lights and "WT" for window treatments.

Color charts, stain charts, floor-covering samples and tile samples are available through a variety of outlets at no cost.

Transfer the floor plan and elevation sketches onto graph paper. Measure the length of a wall, and use the graph squares to represent each foot of the measurement on a floor plan. Measure the width and height of a wall to make an elevation graph drawing.

About the Author

William Machin began work in construction at the age of 15, while still in high school. In 35 years, he's gained expertise in all phases of residential construction, retrofit and remodeling. His hobbies include horses, motorcycles, road racing and sport fishing. He studied architecture at Taft Junior College.